Gripping and lifting device



March 1951 P. A. THELIN GRIPPING AND LIFTING DEVICE Filed April 1, 1947 Patented Mar. 6, 1951 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,543,947 GRIPPIN G AND LIFTING DEVICE Person A; Thelin, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 1, 1947, Serial No. 738,685

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to an improved gripping and lifting device such as may be employed for the lifting of fiat objects as plates, or for the lifting of boxes, shipping cases, etc.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a gripping and lifting device which will be easy to manufacture, will be positive in its action, and will not slip from the object which it is desired to lift.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gripping and lifting device provided with only one movable part which is suitably pivoted to a yoke between the arms of which the article to be lifted is positioned, suitable gripping fingers on the device being brought into contact with the article to be lifted with a pressure which is proportional to the weight of the article.

Other objects will appear from the. further description hereinbelow when considered in connection with the concurrently filed drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved gripping and lifting device of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view showing the device in use, and also showing changed position of certain parts thereof in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is an elevational front view;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, on a somewhat enlarged scale, of the only movable portion of the device constituting the handle and gripping fingers thereof.

The device of the present invention comprises a substantially U-shaped yoke broadly designated by the reference numeral 6, preferably reinforced by means of an outstanding flange 1, the yoke having two arms 8 and 9, on one of which (9) is mounted a lifting and gripping member ID which is preferably made in one piece "from a heavy rod bent substantially into the loop shape shown in Fig. 5.

The member It comprises a handle portion I l, and two substantially semi-circular turns l2 and I3, which connect with substantially straight portions l4 and I5 which are substantially parallel to the portion II. The portions l4 and I5 terminate in two laterally extending gripping fingers l6 and H, which are intended to engage against the article to be lifted such as a plate H! which is positioned between the arms 8 and 9 of the yoke.

The member ID is pivotally connect-ed to the yoke 8 by means of a plate H) which is suitably secured, for example by means of the rivets 20,

to the arm 9 of the yoke, this plate being cut away so as to form extensions 21 and 22 which are bent into the form of ears or loops through which the portions I4 and I5 of the member l0 extend.

When the yoke is in the vertical position as shown in the drawings, the weight of the member It will tend to bring the gripping fingers l6 and I1 into a vertical position, and to insure that they will not move any further than into a parallel relationship with the arms, for example arm 9 of the yoke 6, a suitable stop 23 is provided, which may take the form of a rod which passes through the flange 1 of the yoke.

'When using the device, the article to be lifted, such as a plate, or the side of a crate or box, designated l 8, is positioned between the two arms of the yoke, whereupon the member H] is lifted by means of the handle II, which may be accomplished either by hand or by means of the lifting hook 24 which is suitably suspended from a cable 25 as shown in Fig. 2. The first effect will be to move the member Hi from the position shown in solid lines to the position shown in dotted lines, whereby the gripping fingers I6 and I1 will be caused to engage against the surface of the article l8, thus forcing it strongly against the arm 8 of the yoke. The heavier the article I8 is, the greater will be the force required to lift it, which force being applied to the handle I I will be transmitted to the fingers l6 and H,

which will firmly press against the article l8 so that the latter will be securely clamped within the yoke. By reason of the fact that the ends of the gripping fingers l6 and H are cut off squarely, these fingers will tend to dig into the article andprevent it from slipping from the yoke. If for example the device is used for the lifting of an iron plate, the latter can safely be lifted without danger of slipping from the yoke.

If on the other hand the article I8 is the side of a box, and by providing two such devices as that shown in the present application, one being applied to each opposing side of the box, the same may then be safely lifted and carried.

It will be obvious that the device can be made in any appropriate size and if made in a small size, the member I 0 might well be made of heavy steel wire, while for the larger sizes it is best made from heavy steel or wrought iron rod stock.

When setting the article down and releasing the pull on the handle ill, the gripping fingers l6 and I! will return to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2, in that case abutting against the stop 23; so that the yoke may be freely lifted from the article which had been gripped within the arms of the yoke.

There is a particular advantage in constructing the gripping and handle member of a single piece as this not only renders it rigid and substantially unbreakable, but also thereby provides a pivot for said member by reason of the fact that the straight portions [4 and I5 pass through the ears 2| and 22-.

If desired the flange I may be omitted, but. as it greatly reinforces the yoke, it is preferably employed.

The device may be manufactured of any suitable metal, but iron or aluminum suggest themselves as the most suitable materials for the purpose.

Applicant claims:

1. A gripping and lifting device comprising a flanged U-shaped straight-sided yoke having two opposed parallel arms having smooth inner surfaces, a transverse plate on one of said arms, ears formed on said plate on each side of said yoke, and a one-piece heavy rod lifting-handle havin gripping fingers integral therewith capable of engaging an article positioned between the arms of said yoke, said lifting-handle being pivoted to the yoke by having portions thereof embraced by said ears.

2. A gripping and lifting device comprising a flanged U-shaped straight-sided yoke provided with pivoting ears on each side of one arm thereof, a lifting-handle having gripping fingers extending parallel of said arm, and in substantial alignment therewith, said lifting-handle being pivoted to said arm by having opposed portions thereof passing through said ears, whereby upon lifting of said lifting-handle said gripping fingers will be swung into a plane at an angle to the planes of the arms of the yoke and brought into gripping engagement with an article positioned between said arms.

3. A lifting device comprising a U-shaped gripping yoke having parallel opposed flat inner surfaces and provided with outwardly extending heavy reinforcing flanges to prevent spreading of said yoke when gripping a fiat object between its opposed surfaces, a flat plate secured to one leg of said yoke, upwardly extending parts of such plate being curved back upon themselves to provide bearings on each side of a flange, a heavy rod bent into such shape as to provide a lifting handle, two. portions thereof being substantially parallel with said handle portion, and two gripping-fingers, said parallel portions passing through the bearings provided on said plate, and a stop abuttaole by said fingers and positioned on the same side of said flanges as that on which the plate is secured to prevent the lifting handle from assuming a downwardly depending position when the yoke is disengaged from the article intended to be gripped thereby, so that when the yoke is slipped over the article to be lifted the lifting handle will extend laterally from the side of the yoke for ready grasping by an operator using the device.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3 in which the side of the yoke bearing the plate is longer than the opposed side of the yoke.

PERSON A. TI-I LIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 761,282 Aires V Y v May 31, 1904, 1,182,313 Randal et a1. May 9, 1916 1,251,278 Porter Dec. 25, 1917 2,324,362 Chandler ".7- July 13, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 36,090 Sweden Feb. 3, 1912 

